Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office are "computer illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer."

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013? Do they use abacuses to calculate people's bills?

I was speaking to a doctor last Sunday, who said the ACA was going to destroy her practice for exactly that reason. She doesn't use computers and her overhead is almost 70% of her gross. She's going to go to a cash practice, but that won't last very long. If most people have insurance, who's going to pay cash?

Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office livery stable are "computer automobile illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records horseless carriages. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer figure out where to hit the cars with the buggy-whip."

I had to shut down my chirurgical practice because of Obamacare, too. They won't let me offer paregoric to my youngest patients and the law demands that I abandon humorism and phrenology. Thanks, Obama.

Serious Black:Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office are "computer illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer."

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013? Do they use abacuses to calculate people's bills?

mrshowrules:In other words, he has no reason to close now and very little reason to close later. Article already indicates that he was close to retirement. So Obama is now responsible for doctors retiring.

He has every reason to close now. If he was going to retire soon anyway, why invest in keeping his practice open? Sounds like more of an excuse for early retirement than anything else.

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013?

Somerset, KY

Yes, yes, it's a small backwoods town, but still, nobody in their office is even remotely computer literate? And there HAVE to be technically literate people in the area given that there are huge centers for SAIC and Blackboard nearby.

Serious Black:Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office are "computer illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer."

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013? Do they use abacuses to calculate people's bills?

You would obviously be surprised to discover that, despite computers being a workplace staple for at minimum the last decade, there are still plenty of people who can barely comprehend what a computer is for, let alone how to use it for even the most basic of tasks.

natazha:I was speaking to a doctor last Sunday, who said the ACA was going to destroy her practice for exactly that reason. She doesn't use computers and her overhead is almost 70% of her gross. She's going to go to a cash practice, but that won't last very long. If most people have insurance, who's going to pay cash?

Serious Black:Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office are "computer illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer."

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013? Do they use abacuses to calculate people's bills?

They're not, but doctors live in this world where they just do whatever they want, whenever they want, and everyone around them is expected to adapt.

There is a reason they are forcing small doctors offices to either close or to retire...

In 2009, the HITECH act was passed as part of the stimulus. Part of that is using an electronic medical record (EMR) in a "meaningful way", called "Meaningful Use". If the physician/hospital chooses not to partake, they do not get extra free money from taxpayers right now... In a few years, those tax payer dollar incentives turn into no medicare reimbursement penalties.

The problem is that EMRs are very, very expensive and the cheaper, smaller ones do not handle Meaningful Use very well. The nice ones are for bigger healthcare organizations and are tens of millions of dollars to just install (not counting support from the vendor, which is also in the millions).

The reason? Well let's just say EMR vendor CEOs know who to donate money to

deadguyinc:Serious Black: Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office are "computer illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer."

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013? Do they use abacuses to calculate people's bills?

You would obviously be surprised to discover that, despite computers being a workplace staple for at minimum the last decade, there are still plenty of people who can barely comprehend what a computer is for, let alone how to use it for even the most basic of tasks.

/try working on a military base//oh the horror

Um, I do work on a military base. Of course, I happen to work for an agency that probably has a thousand computers of various kinds for about 150 personnel.

Serious Black:natazha: I was speaking to a doctor last Sunday, who said the ACA was going to destroy her practice for exactly that reason. She doesn't use computers and her overhead is almost 70% of her gross. She's going to go to a cash practice, but that won't last very long. If most people have insurance, who's going to pay cash?

Jesus titty-farking Christ. That's a ton of money.

One doctor, eighty-seven assistants writing out claims and looking up provider coverage numbers by hand.

machoprogrammer:There is a reason they are forcing small doctors offices to either close or to retire...

In 2009, the HITECH act was passed as part of the stimulus. Part of that is using an electronic medical record (EMR) in a "meaningful way", called "Meaningful Use". If the physician/hospital chooses not to partake, they do not get extra free money from taxpayers right now... In a few years, those tax payer dollar incentives turn into no medicare reimbursement penalties.

The problem is that EMRs are very, very expensive and the cheaper, smaller ones do not handle Meaningful Use very well. The nice ones are for bigger healthcare organizations and are tens of millions of dollars to just install (not counting support from the vendor, which is also in the millions).

The reason? Well let's just say EMR vendor CEOs know who to donate money to

TrollingForColumbine:machoprogrammer: There is a reason they are forcing small doctors offices to either close or to retire...

In 2009, the HITECH act was passed as part of the stimulus. Part of that is using an electronic medical record (EMR) in a "meaningful way", called "Meaningful Use". If the physician/hospital chooses not to partake, they do not get extra free money from taxpayers right now... In a few years, those tax payer dollar incentives turn into no medicare reimbursement penalties.

The problem is that EMRs are very, very expensive and the cheaper, smaller ones do not handle Meaningful Use very well. The nice ones are for bigger healthcare organizations and are tens of millions of dollars to just install (not counting support from the vendor, which is also in the millions).

The reason? Well let's just say EMR vendor CEOs know who to donate money to

Serious Black:Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office are "computer illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer."

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013? Do they use abacuses to calculate people's bills?

Cool Story time. I work for a Medical Practice as the IT Manager, and we're a very computer savvy and literate bunch, from top to bottom, and use technology in every facet of our practice. We just bought a practice that has no computers period, and for the last thirty years has done everything with paper and pen. The transition for their staff to our way of doing things has been very, very difficult. They had prided themselves on being grognards and staying away from technology, but that strategy seems to have backfired since their boss, i.e. the managing partner of their practice, decided to sell to us so that when he retires in a year or so his patients have someone good to care for them. I expect that it's going to be a very, very painful transition for his staff. He of course, gets a pass as he is a physician and will be retiriing. His staff, not so much, and they are none too happy with the situation.

Serious Black:deadguyinc: Serious Black: Kiteck said he is approaching retirement age, and that he and his office are "computer illiterate," adding that he would need special training to add electronic records. He said it would be a financial burden and take "thousands of man hours or woman hours to get the records on the computer."

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013? Do they use abacuses to calculate people's bills?

You would obviously be surprised to discover that, despite computers being a workplace staple for at minimum the last decade, there are still plenty of people who can barely comprehend what a computer is for, let alone how to use it for even the most basic of tasks.

/try working on a military base//oh the horror

Um, I do work on a military base. Of course, I happen to work for an agency that probably has a thousand computers of various kinds for about 150 personnel.

Mine is full of mechanics. Not that the office people are any better. Sometimes they're worse. I support these people. I'm in a near-constant state of resisting the urge to jam sharp objects into my vital areas.

Serious Black:natazha: I was speaking to a doctor last Sunday, who said the ACA was going to destroy her practice for exactly that reason. She doesn't use computers and her overhead is almost 70% of her gross. She's going to go to a cash practice, but that won't last very long. If most people have insurance, who's going to pay cash?

Jesus titty-farking Christ. That's a ton of money.

That was nearly my response too. Although, I said "Christ on a Bicycle" instead.

machoprogrammer:There is a reason they are forcing small doctors offices to either close or to retire...

In 2009, the HITECH act was passed as part of the stimulus. Part of that is using an electronic medical record (EMR) in a "meaningful way", called "Meaningful Use". If the physician/hospital chooses not to partake, they do not get extra free money from taxpayers right now... In a few years, those tax payer dollar incentives turn into no medicare reimbursement penalties.

The problem is that EMRs are very, very expensive and the cheaper, smaller ones do not handle Meaningful Use very well. The nice ones are for bigger healthcare organizations and are tens of millions of dollars to just install (not counting support from the vendor, which is also in the millions).

The reason? Well let's just say EMR vendor CEOs know who to donate money to

It was NOT the ACA, but the HITECH Act that is causing it.

I suppose we could do what Finland did and just have every health care provider use VistA. It's in the public domain and, thus, is completely free to obtain and install.

Angry Drunk Bureaucrat:Serious Black: natazha: I was speaking to a doctor last Sunday, who said the ACA was going to destroy her practice for exactly that reason. She doesn't use computers and her overhead is almost 70% of her gross. She's going to go to a cash practice, but that won't last very long. If most people have insurance, who's going to pay cash?

Jesus titty-farking Christ. That's a ton of money.

That was nearly my response too. Although, I said "Christ on a Bicycle" instead.

I like JTFC personally. There's no way Jesus wasn't a horny dude, and I think there's just something poetic about him blessing Mary Magdalene with a pearl necklace.

machoprogrammer:There is a reason they are forcing small doctors offices to either close or to retire...

In 2009, the HITECH act was passed as part of the stimulus. Part of that is using an electronic medical record (EMR) in a "meaningful way", called "Meaningful Use". If the physician/hospital chooses not to partake, they do not get extra free money from taxpayers right now... In a few years, those tax payer dollar incentives turn into no medicare reimbursement penalties.

The problem is that EMRs are very, very expensive and the cheaper, smaller ones do not handle Meaningful Use very well. The nice ones are for bigger healthcare organizations and are tens of millions of dollars to just install (not counting support from the vendor, which is also in the millions).

The reason? Well let's just say EMR vendor CEOs know who to donate money to

Truth's Urethra:machoprogrammer: There is a reason they are forcing small doctors offices to either close or to retire...

In 2009, the HITECH act was passed as part of the stimulus. Part of that is using an electronic medical record (EMR) in a "meaningful way", called "Meaningful Use". If the physician/hospital chooses not to partake, they do not get extra free money from taxpayers right now... In a few years, those tax payer dollar incentives turn into no medicare reimbursement penalties.

The problem is that EMRs are very, very expensive and the cheaper, smaller ones do not handle Meaningful Use very well. The nice ones are for bigger healthcare organizations and are tens of millions of dollars to just install (not counting support from the vendor, which is also in the millions).

The reason? Well let's just say EMR vendor CEOs know who to donate money to

It was NOT the ACA, but the HITECH Act that is causing it.

As long as it's still fart-ba-EMR-a's fault.

Yes, nothing is Obama's fault whatsoever, right? I mean, even his farts smell like flowers!

EatHam:mrshowrules: In other words, he has no reason to close now and very little reason to close later. Article already indicates that he was close to retirement. So Obama is now responsible for doctors retiring.

He has every reason to close now. If he was going to retire soon anyway, why invest in keeping his practice open? Sounds like more of an excuse for early retirement than anything else.

machoprogrammer:There is a reason they are forcing small doctors offices to either close or to retire...

In 2009, the HITECH act was passed as part of the stimulus. Part of that is using an electronic medical record (EMR) in a "meaningful way", called "Meaningful Use". If the physician/hospital chooses not to partake, they do not get extra free money from taxpayers right now... In a few years, those tax payer dollar incentives turn into no medicare reimbursement penalties.

The problem is that EMRs are very, very expensive and the cheaper, smaller ones do not handle Meaningful Use very well. The nice ones are for bigger healthcare organizations and are tens of millions of dollars to just install (not counting support from the vendor, which is also in the millions).

The reason? Well let's just say EMR vendor CEOs know who to donate money to

It was NOT the ACA, but the HITECH Act that is causing it.

Bolded the part that I'm replying to.

I work for a cheaper, smaller EMR company, and we're one of the leaders in our state (ny) / region (northeast) when it comes to meaningful use.

We cater to small practices. we do not deal with hospitals. I've been here for 10 years, and in that time, we've grown from 100 employees to nearly 300, mostly due to the ARRA and Meaningful Use.

The other thing that I want to clarify for the threadshiatters that will be here shortly because the title of the thread has "Obamacare" in it, the ARRA and the ACA (0bummercare) have nothing to do with each other.

How the hell is every single person in his office computer illiterate in 2013?

Somerset, KY

Yes, yes, it's a small backwoods town, but still, nobody in their office is even remotely computer literate? And there HAVE to be technically literate people in the area given that there are huge centers for SAIC and Blackboard nearby.

The whole town is 11 square miles, set in the middle of Pulaski County. I dare say that the SAIC and Blackboard people were imported or else the few technically literate people already have jobs and the rest of the town would remind me of my grandmother trying to figure out how to "download the emails."